Leopard geckos are one of the most widely kept pet lizards in the world.
Before you buy one however, you need to know how much it costs. You also need to know what you can expect to pay for the set up, accessories, and the overall long term costs to maintain them.
With that in mind, I’ve written this article to lay out everything you’ll need to know about buying one.
Here’s a leopard gecko care guide as well, which goes into more detail about their setup and needs.
How much does it cost to own a leopard gecko? The cost of a standard leopard gecko with no special morphs is around $25 for babies and $40 for adults. You’ll also spend an average of $250 to $350 for the enclosure and accessories. The cost of maintenance for a leopard gecko is about $50 per month.
If you love the beautiful looks, quirky nature and ease of care that these pets require, then continue reading. This article is for you!
I’ll even let you know how you can save some money along the way!
How Much Do Leopard Geckos Cost?
You basically have three choices of who to buy your leopard gecko from.
- A pet store
- A private breeder
- A dealer
Surprisingly enough, all three sources charge pretty much the same price! Roughly $20-$25 for juveniles, and $40-$50 for adults.
The real difference in price comes from specialty morphs. I have seen prices range from $100 all the way up to several thousand dollars for ultra rare morphs like all black.
Most specialty leopard gecko morphs cost between $200 and $400.
Here are some common leopard gecko morphs, and what you can expect to pay.
| Albino Leopard Gecko | $100 – $200 |
| Super Hypo Leopard Gecko | $100 – $300 |
| Banana Leopard Gecko | $100 – $200 |
| Red Leopard Gecko | $200 – $400 |
| Patternless Leopard Gecko | $100 – $250 |
| Halloween Mask Leopard Gecko | $200 – $400 |
| Black Leopard Gecko | $1,000 – $3,500 |
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing a leopard gecko is the reputation of the breeder. I’ve always had success with XYZ Reptiles. They consistently provide high quality, healthy reptiles.
How Much Is A Leopard Gecko Setup?
Beyond the price of the gecko itself are the costs associated with purchasing the enclosure and set up materials.
I like fairly priced, quality products so I prefer to use Reptizoo for all of my leopard gecko needs.
Here is a breakdown of the setup you will need for a leopard gecko.
Enclosure: The enclosure is going to be your biggest expense. You can get something as basic as a 20 gallon reptile tank at your local pet store for around $40, or you can go much more elaborate.
I personally prefer front view enclosures. The benefits of this are a solid and opaque top, back and sides, which provide a stress free environment for your pet. They also do a better job of maintaining heat and humidity.
A 20 gallon front view enclosure for a leopard gecko will cost you a little under $200.
Lighting: While leopard geckos don’t absolutely require UV lighting, recent studies have shown that they DO benefit from having it 1-3 hours per day. With that in mind, you will want to consider getting both a UV light as well as a normal heat light. UV light fixtures cost between $35 and $50, and bulbs are in the range of $20 and up. A standard heat lamp costs around $10 plus the cost of a standard 100 watt bulb.
At the end of the day you’ll be looking at about $100 for decent lighting.
Heat source: In addition to heat lamps, some reptile keepers like to use under tank heaters, and/or ceramic heaters. This provides additional warmth, including at night when the lights are out. Each of these costs between $20 and $30.
Decorations: Beyond a water bowl and a couple of hide boxes, which only cost a few bucks each, the sky is the limit for how you choose to decorate your pet’s enclosure.
Substrate: I prefer to use a mixture of topsoil and play sand for leopard geckos. There are many other choices available to you however. Regardless of your choice, plan on paying $5 to $10 for substrate.
When all is said and done, you can expect to pay $250 for a decent leopard gecko set up, and $350 for a really nice one.
Monthly Cost Of Maintaining A Leopard Gecko
There are 4 main costs associated with monthly maintenance for your leopard gecko.
- Food and supplements
- Electricity
- Substrate and décor replacement
- Vet bills
Feeding cost for a leopard gecko: Your gecko requires a well balanced diet, which means something more than crickets. Dubia roaches, super worms and an occasional hornworm are the top choices, with gut loaded crickets coming in a distant fourth.
The problem most people have with getting these specialized foods is that they aren’t typically available in your local pet store. Your best bet is to order online from places like dubiaroaches.com, where you can order quantities as small as 25 for just a few bucks.
You will also need supplements such as calcium powder, which costs less than $10 and will last you for a few months.
Feeding your leopard gecko will cost you around $10 to $20 per month.
Electricity costs for a leopard gecko: This is going to vary widely depending on where you live. Using national averages, you can expect to see your electric bill go up by $10 to $15 per month.
Substrate cost for a leopard gecko: Normally you will be spot cleaning your substrate, but once per quarter you should completely replace it.
Vet bills for a leopard gecko: Obviously you will not have vet bills every month, but they can certainly be expensive if/when you do. Exotic vets are generally more expensive than your typical vet who sees dogs or cats. I personally put back $15 per month, per reptile, specifically for vet related expenses.
At the end of it all, you will be looking at spending somewhere around $50 per month to maintain your pet leopard gecko.
Cost Savings Tips
While $300 for the setup and $50 per month of maintenance may not seem like much to some, for others it can be a major expense.
With that in mind, here are some ways you can save money with a pet leopard gecko.
- Get a thermostat for the enclosure. Thermostats for reptile enclosures cost between $30 and $40. While this will add more to your initial investment, it will cut your monthly electricity costs for your pet by about 25%. The thermostat will pay for itself in under a year, and will actually be beneficial to the health of your lizard.
- Use indoor/outdoor carpet as substrate: These carpets are pretty inexpensive, and will not need to be replaced every few months. Simply take them out to clean and sanitize!
- Cut costs on decorations: A simple shoe box will work for hide boxes, and while you may enjoy a lush and beautiful enclosure, your gecko won’t care. It’s good for their mental health to give them some obstacles to walk around, and different objects to look at, but they won’t appreciate any beauty.
- Buy from a reputable breeder: I can’t stress this enough! You will have a much greater chance of receiving a healthy pet when you buy from a reputable private breeder rather than a pet store or dealer. They depend on their animals being healthy in order to maintain a high reputation! This can potentially save you TONS of money in vet bills.
- Only keep UV bulbs on for a few hours per day: UV bulbs can be expensive, not to mention the added electricity for running one. Leopard geckos benefit from 2 hours or so per day of UVB lighting.
- Buy a used enclosure: Just make sure it is safe and free of cracks.
Conclusion
Owning a leopard gecko is going to be less than owning a cat or dog, but that doesn’t mean dirt cheap.
As a responsible pet owner, you are the sole provider and caretaker for your new lizard. Its life and well being is quite literally in your hands.
Follow the guidance above, and you will be on your way to enjoying a long life with your new friend.